August's article of the month: The Personality Assessment Inventory helps identify distinct psychological profiles in fibromyalgia
The Research Committee of the Faculty of Psychology has selected “Personality Assessment Inventory in Fibromyalgia: Links to Functional, Physical–Somatic, and Emotional Impact” as the article of the month for August.
The study, published in the journal European Journal of Investigation in Health, Psychology and Education was led by predoctoral researcher Andrea Doreste and Professor Joan Deus, from the Department of Clinical and Health Psychology at the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona, in collaboration with researchers from Hospital del Mar, where the sample of 70 women treated at the Fibromyalgia Unit was collected.
By combining the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) and the Personality Assessment Inventory (PAI), the authors identified distinct profiles of functional, physical, and emotional impairment. Results show that patients with greater functional deterioration display more emotional instability and depressive symptoms, while those with stronger physical impact are characterized by somatization, severe fatigue, and higher suicidal ideation. Meanwhile, the group with severe emotional impairment presented high levels of major and persistent depression, with an increased risk of suicidality. The study also highlights that the accumulation of severity across several domains is associated with more complex and severe clinical profiles.
According to the researchers, these findings reinforce the need for a biopsychosocial and personalized approach in the treatment of fibromyalgia. This interdisciplinary work between psychologists, rheumatologists, and psychiatrists paves the way for developing integrated care strategies that combine physical, emotional, and social approaches to improve the quality of life of people living with fibromyalgia.